Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
The chief priests, elders, and all the council sought and hired false testimony against Jesus in His trial before Caiaphas to provide a pretext to put Him to death. They kept the proceedings secret and unjust, seeking by perjury what they could not prove fairly in order to condemn Him while keeping the appearance of a legal trial. Many false witnesses came but failed until two distorted His words about destroying and rebuilding the temple in three days. They had to resort to lies because no fault could be found in Him, for their charge that He had broken the Sabbath could not be substantiated, showing He had kept the law and done nothing contrary to its commandment. Though guiltless He was condemned on false testimony, yet God overruled His death to make Him the Redeemer and Saviour of humanity, which did not lessen the heinous guilt of His accusers.
Setting and Unjust Proceedings
Matthew 26:59 belongs to Jesus' appearance before Annas and the court of Caiaphas. It was a mock examination held in the palace of the officiating high priest in early morning darkness, after He was hurried there through dark narrow streets by an armed band amid insult and mockery, guided by torches and lanterns. There He was coarsely accused by His persecutors, sneeringly questioned by the priest, and reviled by the whole assembly seeking to put Him to death.
The full council was assembled for trial in the judgment hall, with Caiaphas as presiding officer seated on the throne of judgment. Jesus stood as a captive at its foot to be tried for His life, with judges and those specially interested on either side, Roman soldiers ranged on the platform below the throne, and the eyes of the multitude upon Him amid wild excitement and watching. He stood calm and serene, dignified, majestic, with a God-like presence and holy influence emanating from Him and pervading the atmosphere around Him. Even the hardened multitude questioned whether such a man of such presence should be sentenced as a common criminal, in strong contrast to the excited, malignant, hostile and contemptuous bearing of Annas and Caiaphas.
The contrast was heightened by dress and history, for the high priest stood in gorgeous robe with glittering tiara and costly breastplate upon which the light of God's glory had often flashed in former days. Jesus wore coarse, homely garb, though He had reigned crowned in the courts of heaven in garments of brightness attended by holy angels, now standing at an earthly throne to be tried for His life. Caiaphas was momentarily struck with admiration for Jesus' dignified bearing and convicted that He was akin to God, then banished the thought. In sneering, haughty tones he demanded that Jesus work one of His famed mighty miracles before him, which Jesus heard as though He heard it not.
Perceiving the influence in Jesus' favor, Caiaphas hastened the trial to break that influence. While Jesus endured this He suffered a keener pang than His enemies could inflict when He heard His beloved disciple deny Him with cursing and swearing. The leaders sought a pretext to condemn Jesus while maintaining the appearance of a legal trial. They kept the proceedings secret so the people could not bring testimony about His mighty works that would vindicate Him, turn public anger against the council, defeat its plans, and lead to His release and renewed honor among the people.
Determined to secure His death, they watched and hunted Him, trying to obtain by perjury what they could not establish fairly. They sought charges that would condemn Him before both Jewish and Roman authorities, in secretive, unjust proceedings that violated their own rule that a person was innocent until proved guilty. He had taught openly and directed His accusers to ask those who had heard Him.
False Testimony and Innocence
The chief priests, elders, and all the council sought and hired false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death, providing a pretext for condemnation. They had watched and hunted Him, trying to obtain by perjury what they could not establish fairly, and sought charges that would condemn Him before both Jewish and Roman authorities. Many false witnesses came, but their accusations failed until two witnesses misrepresented His words about destroying and rebuilding the temple in three days. This was the only charge brought against Him; His words were distorted and applied falsely, His enemies repeated the accusation in mockery while He hung on the cross, and their misstatement nevertheless publicized His words and made their fulfillment more impressive.
His words and motives were watched for grounds to accuse Him, misrepresented, and used against Him. He was presented to the people in the worst possible light through false statements and accusations by scribes and Pharisees who planned His betrayal and took a prominent part in His trial. They acted from jealousy and fear that He would gain greater influence, authority, and become king of the Jews, and because His righteous, self-denying life and faithful reproof of sin challenged and rebuked their corruption. Their false testimony did not make Him guilty.
The hired witnesses' lies reveal how corrupt the priesthood had become and how men in high religious positions brought false accusations despite His pure character, teachings, and works of mercy and love. While slander did not spare Him from reproach, the truth came to His defense in that Pilate declared Him faultless and Judas admitted that he had betrayed innocent blood, and He declared Himself guiltless with evidence proving His innocence. Though He was guilty of no wrong and was condemned on false witnesses' testimony, God overruled the crucifixion to make Him the Redeemer and Saviour of humanity and ruler over the world. This brought about through His death the very rule His enemies sought to prevent when they rejected Him as king and demanded His crucifixion; God's providential use of their actions did not lessen their guilt and their crime remained heinous.
Sabbath Proof and Application
The need to hunt for false testimony to secure a death sentence proves the charge that He had broken the Sabbath could not be sustained, for no fault could be found in Him so witnesses had to lie, and if the accusation had been valid there would have been no need to hire false witnesses to testify against Him. The resort to hired falsehood to furnish a pretext for putting Him to death is evidence that neither He nor Stephen nor His followers violated the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, since if they had broken it their enemies could have condemned them for that offense without needing false witnesses. Their careful respect even for lesser customs confirms this, because Sabbath breaking would have brought severe penalties and would have supplied an open ground of condemnation.
The accusations brought by the priests and rulers at His trial were false because He had kept the Sabbath and had done nothing contrary to its commandment, which is why false witnesses had to be sought rather than the charge proved. His death shows that God's law is immutable, for He magnified it and made it honorable and declared that He came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it. The Pharisees and Jewish leaders accused Him of breaking the law in order to condemn and crucify the Son of God, yet they could not prove the charge, so they hired witnesses to lie against Him to carry out their purpose, while He declared Himself guiltless with evidence proving His innocence. Ministers of the gospel today who stand in the pulpit and say Christ broke the law speak Satan's suggestion and place themselves with the Jews, the scribes and priests and rulers who falsely accused Him, and the same work of false accusation is done when ministers prejudice people by telling them that Seventh-day Adventists do not believe in Christ.
His miracles and other evidence of His Messiahship did not soften His opposers with greater light but hardened them into hatred and a determination to extinguish the truth, showing how those who reject God's law and choose darkness can treat deception as justified when it serves their ends. Their conduct during His greatest trial, when religious leaders sought testimony against Him in order to condemn Him, reflects the cruelty of bigotry and prejudice that can remain firmly rooted in human hearts. Corrupt men joining together to seek false testimony in order to have Him put to death displays the same spirit that appears when corrupt men whose wrongdoing has been reproved use false witnesses, with the devil supplying witnesses to serve their purpose. Slander did not spare Him from reproach despite His pure character, teachings, and works of mercy and love, for He was watched for grounds to accuse Him and His words and motives were misrepresented and used against Him, so His followers should expect similar treatment and hostile scrutiny, and the same kind of unjust treatment can weaken those who serve God.
The chief priests, elders, and all the council sought and hired false testimony against Jesus in His trial before Caiaphas to provide a pretext to put Him to death. They kept the proceedings secret and unjust, seeking by perjury what they could not prove fairly in order to condemn Him while keeping the appearance of a legal trial. Many false witnesses came but failed until two distorted His words about destroying and rebuilding the temple in three days. They had to resort to lies because no fault could be found in Him, for their charge that He had broken the Sabbath could not be substantiated, showing He had kept the law and done nothing contrary to its commandment. Though guiltless He was condemned on false testimony, yet God overruled His death to make Him the Redeemer and Saviour of humanity, which did not lessen the heinous guilt of His accusers.
Setting and Unjust Proceedings
Matthew 26:59 belongs to Jesus' appearance before Annas and the court of Caiaphas. It was a mock examination held in the palace of the officiating high priest in early morning darkness, after He was hurried there through dark narrow streets by an armed band amid insult and mockery, guided by torches and lanterns. There He was coarsely accused by His persecutors, sneeringly questioned by the priest, and reviled by the whole assembly seeking to put Him to death.
The full council was assembled for trial in the judgment hall, with Caiaphas as presiding officer seated on the throne of judgment. Jesus stood as a captive at its foot to be tried for His life, with judges and those specially interested on either side, Roman soldiers ranged on the platform below the throne, and the eyes of the multitude upon Him amid wild excitement and watching. He stood calm and serene, dignified, majestic, with a God-like presence and holy influence emanating from Him and pervading the atmosphere around Him. Even the hardened multitude questioned whether such a man of such presence should be sentenced as a common criminal, in strong contrast to the excited, malignant, hostile and contemptuous bearing of Annas and Caiaphas.
The contrast was heightened by dress and history, for the high priest stood in gorgeous robe with glittering tiara and costly breastplate upon which the light of God's glory had often flashed in former days. Jesus wore coarse, homely garb, though He had reigned crowned in the courts of heaven in garments of brightness attended by holy angels, now standing at an earthly throne to be tried for His life. Caiaphas was momentarily struck with admiration for Jesus' dignified bearing and convicted that He was akin to God, then banished the thought. In sneering, haughty tones he demanded that Jesus work one of His famed mighty miracles before him, which Jesus heard as though He heard it not.
Perceiving the influence in Jesus' favor, Caiaphas hastened the trial to break that influence. While Jesus endured this He suffered a keener pang than His enemies could inflict when He heard His beloved disciple deny Him with cursing and swearing. The leaders sought a pretext to condemn Jesus while maintaining the appearance of a legal trial. They kept the proceedings secret so the people could not bring testimony about His mighty works that would vindicate Him, turn public anger against the council, defeat its plans, and lead to His release and renewed honor among the people.
Determined to secure His death, they watched and hunted Him, trying to obtain by perjury what they could not establish fairly. They sought charges that would condemn Him before both Jewish and Roman authorities, in secretive, unjust proceedings that violated their own rule that a person was innocent until proved guilty. He had taught openly and directed His accusers to ask those who had heard Him.
False Testimony and Innocence
The chief priests, elders, and all the council sought and hired false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death, providing a pretext for condemnation. They had watched and hunted Him, trying to obtain by perjury what they could not establish fairly, and sought charges that would condemn Him before both Jewish and Roman authorities. Many false witnesses came, but their accusations failed until two witnesses misrepresented His words about destroying and rebuilding the temple in three days. This was the only charge brought against Him; His words were distorted and applied falsely, His enemies repeated the accusation in mockery while He hung on the cross, and their misstatement nevertheless publicized His words and made their fulfillment more impressive.
His words and motives were watched for grounds to accuse Him, misrepresented, and used against Him. He was presented to the people in the worst possible light through false statements and accusations by scribes and Pharisees who planned His betrayal and took a prominent part in His trial. They acted from jealousy and fear that He would gain greater influence, authority, and become king of the Jews, and because His righteous, self-denying life and faithful reproof of sin challenged and rebuked their corruption. Their false testimony did not make Him guilty.
The hired witnesses' lies reveal how corrupt the priesthood had become and how men in high religious positions brought false accusations despite His pure character, teachings, and works of mercy and love. While slander did not spare Him from reproach, the truth came to His defense in that Pilate declared Him faultless and Judas admitted that he had betrayed innocent blood, and He declared Himself guiltless with evidence proving His innocence. Though He was guilty of no wrong and was condemned on false witnesses' testimony, God overruled the crucifixion to make Him the Redeemer and Saviour of humanity and ruler over the world. This brought about through His death the very rule His enemies sought to prevent when they rejected Him as king and demanded His crucifixion; God's providential use of their actions did not lessen their guilt and their crime remained heinous.
Sabbath Proof and Application
The need to hunt for false testimony to secure a death sentence proves the charge that He had broken the Sabbath could not be sustained, for no fault could be found in Him so witnesses had to lie, and if the accusation had been valid there would have been no need to hire false witnesses to testify against Him. The resort to hired falsehood to furnish a pretext for putting Him to death is evidence that neither He nor Stephen nor His followers violated the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, since if they had broken it their enemies could have condemned them for that offense without needing false witnesses. Their careful respect even for lesser customs confirms this, because Sabbath breaking would have brought severe penalties and would have supplied an open ground of condemnation.
The accusations brought by the priests and rulers at His trial were false because He had kept the Sabbath and had done nothing contrary to its commandment, which is why false witnesses had to be sought rather than the charge proved. His death shows that God's law is immutable, for He magnified it and made it honorable and declared that He came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it. The Pharisees and Jewish leaders accused Him of breaking the law in order to condemn and crucify the Son of God, yet they could not prove the charge, so they hired witnesses to lie against Him to carry out their purpose, while He declared Himself guiltless with evidence proving His innocence. Ministers of the gospel today who stand in the pulpit and say Christ broke the law speak Satan's suggestion and place themselves with the Jews, the scribes and priests and rulers who falsely accused Him, and the same work of false accusation is done when ministers prejudice people by telling them that Seventh-day Adventists do not believe in Christ.
His miracles and other evidence of His Messiahship did not soften His opposers with greater light but hardened them into hatred and a determination to extinguish the truth, showing how those who reject God's law and choose darkness can treat deception as justified when it serves their ends. Their conduct during His greatest trial, when religious leaders sought testimony against Him in order to condemn Him, reflects the cruelty of bigotry and prejudice that can remain firmly rooted in human hearts. Corrupt men joining together to seek false testimony in order to have Him put to death displays the same spirit that appears when corrupt men whose wrongdoing has been reproved use false witnesses, with the devil supplying witnesses to serve their purpose. Slander did not spare Him from reproach despite His pure character, teachings, and works of mercy and love, for He was watched for grounds to accuse Him and His words and motives were misrepresented and used against Him, so His followers should expect similar treatment and hostile scrutiny, and the same kind of unjust treatment can weaken those who serve God.